Radon in Alaska

You can't see or smell radon gas, but it's dangerous. Breathing in high levels of radon can raise your risk of lung cancer. In the United States, radon is the
#2 cause of lung cancer, after smoking, and it is estimated to cause over 21,000 deaths each year. In fact, if you live in a home with high radon levels, smoking raises your
risk of lung cancer by 10 times.

According to the Alaska Division of Public Health, radon is an under-recognized health risk in the state. Many homes tested throughout Alaska have radon
levels above the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) limit of 4 picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L). Testing your home is the only way to find out if you have a radon
problem. If you do, then you can fix it.

DISCLAIMER: This online map serves as a guide to where radon may occur; however, indoor radon concentrations can vary greatly from building to building. The only way to know if your home contains radon is to test.

Why is radon dangerous?

Radon gas is derived from rocks and dirt in the ground, beginning with the radioactive decay of naturally occurring uranium.
There is always some radon in the air around us, but a problem occurs when it leaks in through cracks or gaps underneath the house, causing a potential build-up of radon gas inside the home.

One picocurie (abbreviated as pCi) represents 2.2 radioactive disintegrations of radium (radon's radioactive parent) per minute. At a level of 4 pCi/L, the EPA's recommended
action level, there will be approximately 12,672 radioactive disintegrations (radon particles) in one liter of air during a 24-hour period.

When you breathe in radon gas, the radioactive particles can get trapped in your lungs and further decay to polonium and other radioactive solids. Over time, they can cause
lung cancer. The risks from radon depend on two things:

If the radon level in your home is measured at 4 pCi/L or greater, the EPA recommends mitigating your home to lower its radon concentration. Mitigating your home may involve tuning
the air handling system, sealing holes in your vapor barrier, or sealing cracks in your slab. Additional steps may be taken if the radon level remains high.

Any spot where the house is in contact with the ground should be sealed and airtight. Fill cracks in your slab to keep air from the ground from getting
into the house. Photo credit: John Ellison.

Houses can be mitigated for radon by installing perforated pipe and an inline fan to pull the radon out of the ground around the house and vent it outside away from any windows.
Photo credit: John Ellison.

Alaska Radon Database

In the entire U.S., one in 15 homes have high radon levels. Unfortunately, we do not know the statistics for Alaska. DGGS and University of Alaska Fairbanks' (UAF) Cooperative Extension Service are
creating a radon database and updating the Alaska radon map (above) to better understand radon potential and identify where elevated levels of radon exist in the state. Alaskans are invited
to contribute radon test results to the database, which will aggregate results to help preserve confidentiality. Previously collected and new test results are both helpful.

Radon test kits are available in hardware stores and other retail outlets, and for purchase online. Radon service providers will also conduct testing for you. Please fill out a
data release form and questionnaire for each test result, so that your information can help other Alaskans.

This project began with funding from the EPA's Environmental Information Exchange Network and continues with funding from the EPA's State Indoor Radon Grant to Alaska's Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Air Quality. The grant is implemented through a partnership of DGGS and UAF's Cooperative Extension Service.